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How IV Hydration Helps Your Hangover More Than Drinking Water – 2020 Update

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The benefits of IV hydration for your morning hangover. 

After a heavy night of drinking, chances are you’re going to be hungover in the morning. Along with nausea, fatigue, and headaches, having a hangover will mean that you’re dehydrated. You may think that downing several cups of water is the best method to combat your morning hangover. While oral hydration helps to reduce the effects of a hangover, the best way to treat hangover dehydration is with IV hydration.

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Updated 2020: Natural Remedies for Seasonal Allergy Relief

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Home Treatments for Your Seasonal Allergies

An allergy is an overaggressive immune response triggered by numerous factors, whether it’s ingesting certain foods, touching certain substances, or inhaling an irritant such as pollen or animal dander. During this time of year, seasonal allergies start to act up. Just as you’re enjoying the delights of fall, you get hit with a stuffy nose and itchy eyes. These allergies to pollen affect the respiratory predominantly and are often the most difficult to control.

Take a look at a few natural and simple tips for easing seasonal allergies this year.

Dietary Change

Loading up on food with anti-inflammatory properties helps your body to repair itself, bringing back balance and strength to fight off allergies. A few of the best foods to incorporate into your diet this season are:

  • Garlic
  • Lemons
  • Leafy green vegetables
  • Coconut milk
  • Probiotic-rich foods (think sauerkraut, miso, kombucha)
  • Almond butter and seeds (for those who do not have a nut allergy)

Raw, Organic Apple Cider Vinegar

Taking one tablespoon of raw and organic apple cider vinegar can work wonders. Do this every morning before going outside and let the ACV block your body’s histamine reaction and reduce inflammation. Mix one tablespoon of ACV with a cup of warm water. For best results, make sure the ACV comes with ‘the mother.’

Use a Neti Pot

Advised only for adults, a neti pot is a natural way to cleanse your nasal passages from pollens and other allergens. Make sure that the water you use for the neti pot is distilled and as sterile as possible. If you don’t have access to a neti pot, you can try a salt water sinus rinse by mixing sea salt with warm water and inhaling it through one nostril.

IV Drip Therapy

When your body is missing key vitamins and nutrients, dietary changes and other home remedies can take a while to start having an effect. The good news is that IV drip therapy bypasses your digestive tract, delivering the key vitamins and nutrients you need directly where you need it. Administered through an IV in the comfort of our clinic, you can get a cocktail tailored for your needs.

If you’re struggling with allergies, check out the top five foods that natural allergy fighters that can help you keep sniffles and sneezes away. Additionally, Sand Canyon Urgent Care is there to help you through your medical issues. To visit us in Irvine or Stanton in California, call us today.

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Health and Wellness Tips to Kick-Start the New Year

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Jump-Start Your Health This 2020!

The New Year is here, and that means that millions of us will strive to be a happier, healthier, and better version of ourselves. Most of the time, we set ambitious New Year’s resolutions only to quit them a couple of months down the line. This year, choose to be a healthier and better version of yourself all year long with easier, more realistic goals. These ideas can help you kick-start 2020 in the best way!

Look at your diet

The festive period may not be an accurate indication of how you eat all year round, but now is the time to take stock of how you plan to eat a nutritionally-balanced diet. Consider your daily schedule. Plan out your meals. Food prep to avoid eating fast food. If you must eat fast food most locations now have “a lighter menu option.”

Plan to strengthen social relationships

Do you think time together with family and friends is nice but not necessary? Think again! Scientists have found that social relationships can help us to live a longer life, so make sure you schedule time to interact with loved ones.

Try a new form of exercise

If you struggle to get yourself moving, perhaps you haven’t found the right exercise that suits you. This year, try something different. Visit a different gym, run outside, take a new class, try yoga, opt for a personal trainer – the options are endless! You may just find your new (and healthy) hobby.

Develop an attitude of gratitude

Mental health is just as important as physical health. Research has found that counting our blessings instead of our problems not only reduces depression and stress and lowers blood pressure, but it can reduce the signs of aging.

How are you jump-starting your 2020? Let us know! For all of your health concerns and any of your medical needs, visit Sand Canyon Urgent Care. We welcome walk-in patients at our Irvine and Laguna Hills locations. Call us at (949) 536-7892 or visit us here to get started!

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Five Ways to Help You Stay Healthy in the Holiday Season

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How to Have a Healthier Holiday Season

For many people, the festive period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day represents fun, family, friends, and gifts. However, an unexpected illness or accident is a sure way to put a damper on your holiday festivities. So that you can enjoy the holidays to the fullest, take a look at these tips to stay healthy.

Prevent Illness

The best way to avoid getting ill this season is to practice good hand hygiene. Many viruses are transmitted via handshakes, common-use surfaces, and sneezing. You can help to reduce your chances of getting sick by washing your hands regularly or using antibacterial hand sanitizer as an alternative for when you’re on-the-go.

Limit Indulging

Holiday parties call for feasts of food and drinks. As a result, this period is a time when many of us gain a little weight. To maintain a healthy weight, eat a snack before attending a holiday party to fill you up and suppress temptation. Opt for healthier options like fruits, nuts and vegetable platters that are higher in nutritional value. And lastly, portion control is key!

Watch the Alcohol

Drinking too much makes you more prone to make poor eating decisions. Ones more, over-consuming alcohol can weaken your immune system, leaving you vulnerable to getting sick. Drink a glass of water between each alcoholic beverage to stay hydrated. Better yet, sip on club soda or flavored seltzer water instead of a cocktail.

Prioritize Sleep

Holiday events can leave you feeling rushed off your feet. Make sure you leave yourself enough time to sleep, even if that means declining a couple of parties. Lack of sleep not only negatively impacts your immune system, but it can spark stress in your body.

Take Care

Festivities, candles, Christmas trees, and decorations come with the season. Unfortunately, so does the risk of accident and injury. Keep objects that could be dangerous out of reach of children and pets. Never leave candles, stoves, or heaters unattended, and remember to place your Christmas tree out of high-traffic areas.

The team at Sand Canyon Urgent Care wishes you a happy, healthy, and safe holiday season! If the worst does happen, visit our Irvine or Laguna Hills facilities for medical assistance. We accept walk-in patients and provide quality, affordable care that can help you get back to your festive season quickly.

Taking Antibiotics

5 Facts You Need to Know About Antibiotics

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Understanding Antibiotics

Since the Second World War, antibiotics have been used to help humans treat infections. Unfortunately, misconceptions about antibiotics have led to unnecessary prescribing by health care professionals and misuse by the public. Although antibiotics are safe and used correctly by most people, they are still powerful drugs that are commonly misunderstood. Here’s what you should know about them.

1) Antibiotics do not work on viruses

Many people group viruses and bacteria into the same category, but the reality is that they are very different. Although antibiotics are very powerful, they don’t work for everything. They won’t help against illnesses caused by a virus, such as the common cold, flu, non-strep sore throats, and chicken pox.

2) They should only be taken for bacterial infections

Antibiotics are designed to kill bacteria, effectively fighting bacterial infections only. Some common types of bacterial infections include strep throat, UTIs, and pneumonia. Taking antibiotics when you don’t need them puts you at risk for antibiotic-resistant infections and potentially harmful side effects.

3) Antibiotics can cause side effects

As with any other medication, antibiotics come with potential side effects ranging from mild to severe. Common side effects include diarrhea, antibiotic resistance, rashes, yeast infections, and nausea. If you feel unwell when taking antibiotics, call your doctor right away.

4) It’s important to take antibiotics exactly as prescribed by your doctor

Many patients start to feel better after a couple of days of taking antibiotics and feel that they don’t need them anymore. However, it’s absolutely essential that you complete the course that the doctor prescribed. This is because antibiotics may have killed most of the symptom-causing bacteria but some stronger bacteria may remain. Once they have been exposed to a certain antibiotic, those stronger bacteria can adapt to that antibiotic and eventually become a superbug.

5) It is not advised to take old antibiotics

Different bacteria cause different sicknesses. Since there is no one-size-fits-all antibiotic, this means a different antibiotic may be necessary for different illnesses. Taking an old antibiotic could result in your body becoming resistant to that particular antibiotic, which means it won’t work when you actually need it.

At Sand Canyon Urgent Care, we help you understand your health and can prescribe antibiotics when you are in need. With facilities in Irvine and Laguna Hills, we can help. We welcome walk-ins and have an expert team of medical professionals ready to help you. Contact us today to get started.

How to prevent the flu during flu season

How to Prepare for Flu Season

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Healthy Habits to Prevent Colds and the Flu

Sneeze. Cough. Ache. It’s no fun being sick. As the seasons change and temperatures drop, influenza, commonly known as the flu, begins to circulate the world around us. The flu is a contagious disease that attacks the respiratory system and causes mild to severe symptoms that can linger for weeks. These symptoms can wreak havoc on our ability to work and play, so it is especially important to strengthen your immune system and take preventative measures to avoid illness. To stay healthy throughout “flu season,” read on.

  • Keep it clean

It’s common sense to wash your hands after using the restroom, but it’s also important to keep them clean throughout the day. Be aware of touching common-use surfaces like railings, door handles, and elevator buttons. Get into the habit of washing your hands after touching these surfaces. If you can’t always reach running water, carry antibacterial gel or hand sanitizer spray as a convenient alternative.

Common flu symptoms include fever, sore throat, body aches, fatigue, headache and runny nose. The good news: an annual vaccine can help prevent the flu and reduce its side effects. The flu vaccine allows your immune system to make antibodies, which can then be used to attack and destroy the flu virus if you are exposed to it. Although getting a flu shot doesn’t guarantee that you won’t catch the flu, it is a simple and affordable measure that helps protect your body from infection and reduces your risk of sickness. It is generally recommended that everyone aged six months or older receive the flu vaccine each year.

  • Treat the Fever

If you do succumb to the flu, you can help to recover by treating your fever at home. Rest up, stay home from work or school, drink lots of fluids, and try a non-prescription medicine or visit your local urgent care.

Healthy habits and good hygiene can help prevent the flu. Whether you need a flu shot, urgent medical attention, or to find out why your flu won’t go away, we can help. Sand Canyon Urgent Care welcome walk-in patients. Call our Irvine location at (949) 417-0272 or our Laguna Hills location at (949) 206-4633 to get started on your treatment.